A Plan for Good

God is good and despite what you may feel and even believe at times from within your own heart there is a perfect plan for your life which God has lovingly purposed. It cannot be denied it is hard to always believe this when circumstances in our life are so hard and painful but we must ask God to help us trust that he is working out His plan for our eternal good.

As our Lord and Savior was crucified, God giving up his only son as a sacrifice, we remember that from the cross and its suffering there followed the glory and hope for all mankind. This though was not understood at the time as Jesus’ disciples and family watched him suffer. We so often believe that we know what is good and right for our lives but our heavenly father who is the creator and sustainer of every living thing knows what is good, what is right and all His ways are just.

God is therefore in control of all events of our lives, past and present. He is not taken by surprise when disaster and personal tragedy strike. We cannot have hope and security in a God who is not lovingly overseeing all events in time. Job humbly acknowledged God’s sovereignty after incomprehensible suffering –“I know that You can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted”.   He was a man that knew God and therefore was able to proclaim, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In our grief and heart ache it is imperative that we are acquainted with our God, the one true living God as revealed to us in the scriptures.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Isaiah 46:8-10  Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors,  remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’

Isaiah 55:8-9  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.

Unless otherwise indicated all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.